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Edward was a detail-oriented person, as evidenced by the gloves he always carried. He meticulously took out two cups and began mixing drinks alone at the bar of the tavern. His technique was very skilled, and before long, a light purple mist began to rise from the glasses.
“Give it a try; this is my homemade ‘Nightmare,’” Edward said as he brought the glass over. “But you might not take to it well; after all, not everyone enjoys nightmares. Hmm… I added too much deep blue, so it’s a bit bitter.” He took a sip.
Garen watched Edward but did not reach for the glass.
“Don’t overthink it. The Iron Fist Tavern doesn’t open during the day, and I won’t forgo a day’s business just for you,” Edward said without looking up, as if he knew what Garen was thinking.
Garen remained silent. The empty tavern felt particularly cold and quiet.
“I see…” Edward sighed lightly and said, “Your workers were taken by Oshuria and Lacreto.”
“I know,” Garen replied.
“Their target is me,” Edward pointed to himself. “I apologize for involving you in this, so you can freely command those warrior workers, and of course, enjoy this glass of ‘Nightmare.’”
“You?” Garen asked, somewhat puzzled.
“Who else could it be? The Ekria Family?” Edward chuckled and shook his head. “Ekria has money, but that’s all they have. If their opponents were Ekria, they wouldn’t be worried about your existence.”
Garen finally picked up the glass and frowned. “I’ve said I won’t get involved in such matters.”
“Are you going to tell them that?”
Garen nodded and took a sip of the light purple drink.
"It seems you still don't understand. Oshuria and Lacreto are merchants; they only believe in what they can hold in their hands," Edward shrugged, slowly narrowing his eyes. "How does it taste?"
"Very bitter."
"Looks like you've already tasted what this town has to offer."
Initially, Garen had learned from Black Duncan that this "Edward" was quite an eccentric. Now, up close, he couldn't help but agree. Of course, "eccentric" didn't necessarily carry a negative connotation; in some ways, Edward's oddity was more about being beyond the ordinary or simply not fitting into the norm.
This was evident in Edward's lack of Fighting Spirit—he had none.
A regular person without Fighting Spirit could still command a significant portion of the underground forces in Blackstone Town. Even Oshuria and Lacreto had to show him some respect, which spoke volumes about Edward's peculiar nature.
As they sipped their drinks for over half an hour, Edward mostly indulged in the enjoyment of the fine wine while Garen refrained from initiating conversation, resulting in a somewhat cool atmosphere at the table. Yet, there was no hint of awkwardness; everything felt quite natural.
What Garen didn't know was that Edward had been observing him the entire time.
"Are you free later? Come with me to a place," Edward said.
"I'm busy; I still need to head to the Southern Suburbs," Garen shook his head.
"I see..." Edward pondered for a moment before smiling. "A carriage will come to pick us up in three minutes; get ready."
Garen was taken aback.
The truth was, there was no reasoning with someone like Edward.
The carriage traveled for more than ten minutes before coming to a stop. The destination was not far from the Iron Fist Tavern. To Garen's surprise, the carriage stopped on Roland Street, almost within reach of the Rental Apartment.
Edward took a gift box from the carriage and walked into a narrow alley, knocking on a worn wooden door.
"Is that you, Brother Edward?" A melodious female voice came from inside shortly after.
Garen stood behind Edward, feeling somewhat helpless.
Most wealthy individuals had one or even multiple secret lovers who did not interfere with their daily lives; they only needed to occasionally bring some luxury items to please them. Garen did not disapprove of Edward's behavior; after all, for most rich merchants, it was already a blessing if they could rise to power without relying on these lovers. Those like Edward, who even prepared gifts, were becoming rare.
The unique question was, why did Edward bring him along?
However, Garen quickly realized he was mistaken.
The door was opened by a girl around twenty-three or twenty-four years old. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she was clean and tidy overall. If she opened her eyes, they would surely be bright and charming.
Yes, if. The girl was blind.
"I'm sorry I've been so busy lately and haven't come to see you," Edward said, revealing a rare gentle smile.
"There's no need to be so troublesome..." the Blind Girl shook her head. "Are there any others?"
"Um..."
Edward glanced at Garen. "Just a friend."
"Then come in and sit down! I'll prepare some tea and snacks for you!" The Blind Girl smiled brightly.
The room was quite simple, but it had good lighting. Warm sunlight streamed in, illuminating every dark corner.
The Blind Girl busied herself in the kitchen, humming a cheerful tune. It was clear that Edward's arrival made her very happy.
Garen and Edward sat in the living room.
"Guess wrong? She's not my lover," Edward said, looking at Garen with a teasing expression.
"I'm sorry." Garen felt a bit embarrassed.
"Apologies are fine; many people think that way. If you thought I was here for something serious, I'd look at you like you're an idiot."
After a moment of silence, Edward continued, "Talina was one of the first servers at the tavern. She was only fifteen at the time and had to support two homeless younger brothers. I initially refused because she was too young, but she was stubborn and left without a word. Later, I saw her on the street again; she nearly froze to death."
Garen listened quietly.
"It's a pity that I couldn't protect her," Edward seemed to recall something. "So for these past few years, I've been coming to see her."
Garen glanced at the figure in the kitchen, feeling an inexplicable sense of pity.
At the same time, he suddenly found the name "Talina" somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
"Alright, let's go," Edward said as he stood up and adjusted his bowtie.
"Are we leaving just like this?" Garen was taken aback.
"We've seen what we needed to see," Edward replied, glancing at Talina's figure before placing the gift box on the chair. "Do you want her to 'watch' us eat?"
Only then did Garen understand, following Edward out and gently closing the wooden door behind them.
From the window nearby, he could still faintly see that slender figure.
Just as he closed the door, Garen suddenly remembered something.
Talina?!
Sharg's sister!
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